Senior Technical Data Security Architect- Remote (Anywhere in the U.S.)

GuidePoint Security is seeking an experienced and strategic Senior Technical Data Security Architect to join its growing data platform team. In this highly visible role, you will be responsible for designing, implementing, and governing enterprise-grade data security frameworks across the Microsoft data ecosystem and Databricks lakehouse platform.

Data Security Architecture & Strategy

• Design and maintain end-to-end data security architecture across Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Fabric, Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Data Lake Storage (ADLS Gen2), and Databricks Lakehouse Platform.
• Define and enforce enterprise data classification, labeling, and handling standards aligned with Microsoft Purview Information Protection.
• Develop reference architectures and security blueprints for data ingestion, transformation, storage, and consumption layers.
• Lead threat modeling sessions for data pipelines and analytics workloads, identifying and mitigating risks proactively.
• Establish a Zero Trust data security model across all data platforms and integration points.

Microsoft Data Technologies - Security Focus

• Architect and govern data security controls within Microsoft Fabric, including workspace-level and item-level permissions, sensitivity labels, and OneLake security.
• Design role-based access control (RBAC) and attribute-based access control (ABAC) strategies across Azure Data Factory, Azure Synapse, Azure Databricks, and Azure SQL.
• Implement and operationalize Microsoft Purview for data catalog governance, data lineage, and automated sensitivity classification across hybrid and multi-cloud data estates.
• Configure and manage Azure Private Endpoints, VNet integration, and network security groups for data services to eliminate public exposure.

Databricks Security Architecture

• Architect and implement Unity Catalog as the enterprise-wide data governance layer across Databricks workspaces, including metastore design, catalog/schema/table-level permissions, and row/column-level security.
• Design Databricks workspace security including network isolation (no-public-IP, vNet injection, private link), cluster policies, and IP access lists.
• Define and enforce Databricks credential passthrough, service principal governance, and OAuth integration with Azure Entra ID.

Compliance, Audit & Risk Management

• Ensure data platform compliance with relevant regulatory frameworks including GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, SOC 2 Type II, and PCI-DSS where applicable.
• Design and maintain audit trail and data access logging architectures across Microsoft and Databricks platforms.
• Conduct regular security risk assessments, gap analyses, and maturity evaluations of the data security program.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Leadership

• Serve as the primary security advisor to data engineering, analytics engineering, and BI teams throughout the development lifecycle.
• Lead security architecture review boards for new data initiatives, third-party data integrations, and major platform changes.
• Develop and lead a structured mentoring program for junior and mid-level engineers and architects, providing one-on-one coaching, career guidance, and skills development roadmaps tailored to each individual’s growth goals.

Required Experience and Education

• 7+ years of experience in data engineering, data architecture, or information security, with at least 7 years focused on data security architecture OR Bachelor’s Degree and 3+ years of experience in data engineering, data architecture, or information security, with at least 3 years focused on data security architecture.
• Deep hands-on expertise with Microsoft Azure data services: Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2, Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Data Factory, Azure SQL Database, and Microsoft Fabric.
• Demonstrated expertise in designing and implementing Databricks Unity Catalog, including workspace federation, metastore design, and fine-grained access control.